1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character input apparatus equipped with an auto-complete function, a method of controlling the character input apparatus, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a character input apparatus in which in a voice guidance mode, a focused button on a screen displayed on a touch panel is operated by hardware keys (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-31273). In this type of character input apparatus, when a user presses a predetermined hardware key, a focus set on a button on a touch panel is moved. Then, when another hardware key different from the predetermined hardware key is pressed, the character input apparatus executes a process assigned to the focused button. The process executed at this time is the same process as executed when the button is pressed via the touch panel. Further, in the case of moving the focus, the device notifies the user of information on a function assigned to the button focused anew, using voice guidance. This makes it possible for a visually disabled user to easily recognize the function assigned to the focused button.
Some character input apparatuses are equipped with a function of auto-complete. The auto-complete is a function that assists a user who desires to input a character string, such as an e-mail address, by searching e.g. an address book, input history, etc., in response to the user's input of a portion of the character string, to find character strings each having a leading portion thereof matching the input character string, and displaying the found character strings. For example, there has been proposed a character input apparatus which, immediately after a character string input by a user, automatically adds a character string of a completing suggestion for completing the input character string. Another character input apparatus has also been disclosed in which when a plurality of addresses each having a leading portion thereof matching a character string input by a user are found, the addresses are displayed as completing suggestions in the form of a menu such that the user can select a desired address from the menu (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-16003). By using the auto-complete function, a user can input a desired character string without having to manually input the character string completely.
However, when a character string is completed by a portion complementary thereto by the auto-complete function, a visually disabled user who uses voice guidance cannot grasp what has occurred.
Particularly in the method in which immediately after a character string input by a user, a character string of a completing suggestion for completing the input character string is automatically added, if the character string having the character string of the completing suggestion added thereto is finally determined as it is, there is a fear that a character string different from the character string desired by the user is set.
Further, when a user cannot grasp a portion added by the auto-complete function, it is difficult for the user to properly correct the auto-completed character string. For example, even if the user desires to delete added characters and continue to input new characters, it is difficult to recognize how many characters should be deleted, so that the user cannot properly correct the auto-completed character string.